Submarine vessel or diving apparatus



N0. 622,529. Patented Apr. 4, i899.

C. PAUL. SUBMAHINE VESSEL 0R DIVING APPARATUS.

(Application led May 2, 1898.) QNo Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet I.

oooo@ fn: Norms paens co.. Puo'roumo., wAsHmGToN, u. c.

N0. 622,529. Patented Apr.- 4, |899.

' C. PAUL.

SUBMARINE VESSEL 0R DIVING APPARATUS.

(Application led My 2, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

l; @MJL @CNL No. 622,529. Patented Apr. 4, |899.

c. PAUL. SUBMABINE VESSEL 0R DIVHJG APPARATUS.

(Application led May 2, 189B.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

TH: Norms Preis co.. woramwa., wAsHmnroN. nv c No. 622,529, Patented Apr. 4,1899. C. PAUL.

SUBMARINE VESSEL UB.DIV ING APPARATUS.

(Applicatiop led may 2, 1898.) (No Nudel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

STATES PATENT CARRICK PAUL, OF IIURSTVILLE, NEW SOUTH W'ALES, ASSIGNOR TO THE PACIFIC PEARL FISHING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SYDNEY, NEIV SOUTI-I WALES.

SUBIVIARINE VESSEL OR DIVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,529, dated April 4, 1899.

Application filed May 2, 1898. Serial No. 679,531. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CARRIOK PAUL, civil engineer,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Carrington avenue, IIurstville, near Sydney, in the British Colony of New South Wales, have invented new and useful Improvements in Submarine Vessels or Div; ing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to submarine vessels or diving apparatus specially devised for working under water in comparatively great depths, and so as to be practically safe and easy in operation.

The submarine vessel or diving apparatus to which the present improvements refer is of the kind in which the operators are housed in a shell or inclosure Which is in communication with the atmosphere above the level of the water; and the present improvements have been specially contrived to enable the operators to have better control than heretofore over the lowering and raising of the vessel and its movement generally and to provide the operators withmore effective and more easily manageable tools or grips than heretofore.

According to this invention, besides the main vessel or shell or inclosure for the operators, there is a second but smaller vessel, hereinafter referred to as the auxiliary, vessel, which can be extended outwardly of the main vessel and withdrawn inwardly into the main vessel in order to increase the displacement of the whole, so that the vessel will rise, or to lessen the displacement,so that the vessel will sink. main vessels are practically airtight and waterproof, while the inner end of said auxiliary vessel is open to theV main vessel and draws its supply of air therefrom. In combination with the main vessel there is arranged a sliding dead-weight, so that the center of gravity of the apparatus may be altered at will to suit its level or its inclination to the operation performed. At the opposite end of that from which the auxiliary vessel 4protrudes, hereinafter referred to as the front or forward end, is the gear for lifting and gripping, such bein g of peculiar construction,

The joints between the auxiliary and as hereinafter particularly described, and at this forward end also are windlasses outside of the vessel capable of being revolved from within, so that the vessel may be easily nianeuvered by means of Warps from moorings or the like. In combination with the main ves* sel there is a dome or entrance extension on which is tightly fixed a door .or cover adapted to be released from the inside and from the outside, and in combination with the vessel is a safety connection for the air supply and escape pi pes,which is self-closin g under stress of outside pressure.

In order that this invention may be clearly nnderstood,reference is now made tothe drawings herewith, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a submarine vessel or diving apparatus constructed according to these present improvements. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front end. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line a a of Fig. l, and Fig. e is a view of the end hereinafter referred to as the back end. Figs. 5 and 5a are enlarged side views of the gripper-arms, and Figs. G and 6n are plans of the same. Fig. 7 is a part-sectional elevation of the gripper-jaws. Fig. Sis a part-sectional plan of the same. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same-on the line l) Z2 of Fig. 7. Figs. 10 and 1l are respectively an elevation, partly in section, andan inverted plan ofsafety-valve connections between the vessel and the air supply and escape pipes.

A is the main vessel, preferably cylindrical in form, having at the front end thereof dome or entrance-way B. On top of this dome B is a watertight door or cover B', sitting upon ring B2, hinged at B3 and pressed air-tightly upon top flange of dome B by screw B4. Internally of it and taking under the ring B2 is a dog B5, by means of which and ring-screw 36 the cover B is caused to make an airtight joint on rin g B2. If at any time it is necessary for the operators to make an exit from the vessel A without assistance from outside, by unscrewing screw-bolt B6 the dog B5 is loosened and the cover B pushed outwardly and away from the ring B2 to provide a way for such exit.

Extending from the back end of the vessel IOC) A inwardly to a ring-support C is an annular channel or chamber C2, blocked at the inner end and formed of shell C3 and inner shell C4, said inner shell C4 being blocked at its outer end. In this annular channel, between shells C2 and C4, takes the inner end l of a domeshaped cylinder or casing forming the auxiliary vessel C, which is adapted to travel longitudinally in said channel, so that it may be extended outwardly of the main vessel A and be withdrawn from any extended position. Joining the shell C3 with the back end of the vessel A is an annular bracket (or rather stuffing-box) C5 for the reception of a gland O6 around the vessel C, so as to make a watertight joint between the back end of vessel A and said secondary vessel C. The gland C6 is tightened in the stuffing-box C5 by means of a series of studs and nuts, one of which is shown and marked C7. The auxiliary vessel C is extended and drawn in by means of an internally-threaded ram or pole D, extending from the dome end through the back or blocked end of shell O4 to close up to the end inner end of said shell C4. On this end ofthe shell (l4 is a central bearing D2, supporting 'the inner end of the screw-ram D, which for the purpose of passing therethrough a shaft or spindle to carry a screw-propeller is made hollow. On the back or blocked end of auxiliary vessel Cl is a stuffing-box C8, in which takes gland C for making a tight joint around the ram or pole D. This gland C9 is tightened from the inner end of the shell O4 by means of nuts O10 on long studs C11, on which are the sleeves or tubes C12, so that when the nuts C10 are tightened such sleeves or tubes will force said gland C9 into said stuffing-box C8. The sleeves and studs are supported by and form guides for the inner end of the ram or pole D by reason of passing through star bracket or flange C13. It will be seen from the above that no matter how the auxiliary vessel C may be movedl longitudinally outwardly or inwardly by means of the ram or pole D and screw-ram D impassable joints are maintained between the outer water and the interior of the vessel.v The screw-ram D' carries on its inner end a Worin-wheel D2, in which gears the worm orvendless screw D4 in bearings on brackets D5. On the end of the spindle of said worm or endless screw D4 is a pulley DG, around which and around a handwheel D7 in aconvenient situation in the vessel A is an endless chainor belt, so that by revolving said hand-wheel D7 the screw-ram D is revolved within the female thread of the ram or pole D to longitudinally move the vessel O as may be desired.

At a convenient part on the top of vessel A is fixed the safety connection of the air-supply pipe E, (from the surface,) which pipe E is inside of the air-escape pipe EX, which branches to self-closing ball-valve E at back of cock or valve E2. The supply-pipe bends -to self-closing ball-valve E2 and in front of cock or valve E4. Upon any inrush of water,

dac., owing to accident, the balls close their respective valves E and E3, and thus give the operators in the vessel opportunity to close the cocks or valves E2 and E4 and prevent iooding, the., of the vessel.

In the vessel A is a weight F, sliding on a rod F', which is held at each end by brackets or pillars, as shown. This weightF can be easily shifted longitudinally by hand, as may be desired,to balance any extension or withdrawal of the auxiliary vessel C to balance the vessel A and its extension C and to alter the level or inclination of the whole vessel, as may be desired or required.

Where necessary, the vessel A, particularly at the front end and in any convenient situation, has ports or light-holes, (marked .l,) and such ports or light-holes can be placed where convenient in the sides-say as shown at J If necessary or desirable, a screw-propeller may be placed at the back end of the vesselthat is, at the back end of the auxiliary vessel C-in which case a shaft, as shown by dotted lines, is passed through the hollow screw-ram D and through a stuffing-box at the outer end of the ram or pole D, as shown by dotted lines. This shaft of the screw-propeller may be revolved or operated in a similar manner to that which has been described in reference to the screw-ram D.

The lifting and operating appliances co1n. prise a special arrangement of lazy-tongs extension-pieces, on the outer end of which, operated by a handle inside the vessel, are jaws or grippers also operated internally lof the vessel, though by independent devices. On the front end of the vessel A is the socket part L of a ball-and-socket joint, the ball part L being upon a pipe L, on the end of which is a stuffing-box and gland L2, and through which passes rod M. On the outer end of this pi-pe L is carried a bracket or L- piece M, itted thereto by means of the collars M2 and M3. The rod M is screwed at the end after passing through the bracket M/ and collar M4, and it passes through a nut lv 5, pivoted to the l'irst joint of the laZy-tongsextension. From the bracket M short links N/ are connected to the inner end of the lazy-tongs extension N. This lazy-tongs extensionN is constructed generally as shown in the drawings, and it terminates after as many crossjoints as may be convenient at a point at which is attached the back end O of the bottom grip' O, which is bent downwardly, as shown. Just inwardly of this connection are pivoted short links N2, carrying a pivoted guide N3 over the tail O2 of the back end O of the gripper O. To the bent back end O lof the bottom gripper O is affixed the boxpiece P, carrying the pivot-bolt Q of the upper jaw or gripper Q, and also covering the devices by which this upper jaw Q, is opened from or closed upon the lower gripper O. To this box-piece P is also affixed the inner end 'of spring R, adapted to press the upper jaw Q toward or onto lower gripper O. Attached to the inside of box-piece I) is a bearing S2 for the spindle S', on which is cam S. The inner end of said spindle S after passing through the back. end O of the bottom gripper O has a union S3, to which is attached the outer end of a ilexible shaft T. The upper gripper Q extends backwardly of its pivot Q and terminates in a tailpiece Q2. Upon revolution of iiexible shaft T the cam S presses upon and revolves upon the tail Q2 and so clevates the front or outer end of the gripper Q, opening the pair of grippers, which being placed on the article or other thing to be lifted or operated upon and the flexible shaft T being further operated the spring R will press the gripper Q toward the gripper O and cause said grippers to grip said article between them. The edge of the upper gripper Q is preferably serrated, as shown, and both the grip Q and the grip O are perforated or have orilices of various forms, as shown. The :flexible shaft T extends backwardly from the front end of the lazy-tongs extension to a union on the spindle T', which passes through stuffing-box and gland T2 and terminates in handle T3. The operating of said handle T3 by the persons in the vessel A will open and close the grippers or grips as said persons may desire. The windlass-barrels U are carried in bearings U on brackets U2, and have upon their ends beveled tooth-wheels U3, in each of which gears the respective beveled pinion V on the end of spindle V, passing through gland and stuiiing-box V2 and terminating in hand-wheel V3. The revolution of said handwheel V by the operators will revolve its particularwindlass-barrel and so wind or unwind the warp from mooring-anchors or the like to shift the position of the submarine vessel. IIaving now particularlydescribed and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is l. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with a main vessel A provided with inner concentric shells C2, O4, stuffing-box C5 and gland C6, of an auxiliary vessel C adapted to slide between said shells, and mechanism for protruding and retracting said auxiliary vessel to vary the displacement of the whole apparatus, substantially as described.

2. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with a main vessel A, inner concentric shells C2, C4, stufiing-box C5, gland C, and auxiliary vessel C adapted to slide between said shells, of a tubular ram or pole D attached to the closed end of said auxiliary vessel, stuffing-box C2, gland C, screwram D geared with the interior of the tubular ram D, and means ior revolving said screw-ram D, substantially as described.

3. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with a main vessel A, and an auxiliary vessel C adjustably supportedV in said main vessel and having iiuidtight connection therewith, of a tubular ram or pole attached to the closed end of the said auxiliary vessel, a screw-ranLD geared with the interior of said tubular ram, and gearing for revolving said screw-rain, to protrude or retract'the auxiliary vessel, substantially as described.

4t. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with the entrance-dome B, of a ring B2 hinged to the top of said dome at one side, a cover B seated upon said ring, a dog B5 adapted to engage the under side of said ring within the dome, a screw-bolt BG accessible from the inside of the dome and connecting said cover and dog, whereby the cover'and the ring and the dog are movable together on the hinge B3 of saidring, a screw B4 located on the outside of the dome opposite said hinge, and a nut to clamp the said cover and ring onto said bolt and accessible from the outside of the dome, substantially as described.

5. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with a ball-jointed tube L, and lazy-tongs N carrying grippers at one l end, of a screw-rod IVI, extended through said tube and connected with the lazy-tongs to actuate the same, substantially as described.

6. In a submarine vessel or diving apparatus, the combination with the lazy-tongs N, of a bottom-gripper O and spring-gripper Q, and mechanism adapted to be actuated from within the said vessel to open the springgripper away from the bottom-gripper, substantially as described.

7. In a submarine vessel or diving appara- TOO tus,'the combination with the gripper O and IIO 

